A day after over 50 members of the Punjab Parents’ Association were booked for obstructing the Amritsar deputy commissioner’s official vehicle, the city police on Thursday said they would start identifying them with the help of CCTV footage.

Police officials interacting with protesting parents outside a private school in Amritsar on Wednesday.(HT Photo)

A day after over 50 members of the Punjab Parents’ Association were booked for obstructing the Amritsar deputy commissioner’s official vehicle, the city police on Thursday said they would start identifying them with the help of CCTV footage.

Members of the Punjab Parent Association said they have asked DC Varun Roojam to take back the charges as this will not suppress their agitation.

Cases have been registered at the local Civil Lines police station against 50 unidentified parents besides MK Sharma and Ranjit Kumar Bobby, who are spearheading the agitation, under sections 353, 341, 186, 147 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“After identifying the rest, we will start the investigation. We carried out raids to trace MK Sharma and Bobby but they are absconding,” additional deputy commissioner (ADCP II) Gaurav Garg said.

The cases were registered after a formal complaint was given by sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Rajesh Sharma.

PARENTS GIVE WEEK’S ULTIMATUM TO DC

“We are not scared of the charges pressed against us. MK Sharma has met education minister Daljit Singh Cheema who has assured that the regulatory body will be formed within 10 days. The Amritsar DC has been asked to withdraw the charges within a week as this is not a way to suppress the parents’ voice. This terrorising business won’t work with us,” said Sanjay Goyal, a parent. Other representatives of PPA said agitations would start again if even after the assurance regulatory authority is not implemented.

When contacted, DC Varun Roojam said, “From the first day I have been listening to them. We have been organising meetings in this regard. We constituted teams to visit the schools. Everything was going in the right direction but some elements defeated the purpose by blocking the roads, my vehicle and threatening the administration.”